Big unit.

weld-werx · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:02 pm Post subject: Big unit.

Heres my project Vitara, its taken about 8 monthes to go from an idea to a road legal vehicle. i had a vit before, realy liked it but it suffered from poor ground clearance, so i wanted big tyres, and a bit of lift. However i didnt want the reliabilty issues of a lifted vit front end so decided to go for a live axle swap, using a sammy axle.

im also quite tight so i liked the idea of a more frugal engine choice so chose the pug 1.9 td lump, for 2 reasons, there known to be a good engine, and secondley as suzuki fitted this engine to vits as standard it makes it easier and cheaper to insure.

To join the engine and box i looked into getting hold of a commercial bellhousing, however this is easier said than done, new or secondhand. Plan b... ill make my own. i looked into different suspension set ups that i could use, i wanted it to be as neat as possible,and give the best handling as possible,due to this being my only transport. i decided on a four link set up with a panhard, it may not offer as much flex as other systems off road, but hopfully will have better on road manners.

A couple of weeks after deciding to do all this a mate who runs scrap cars in rang me and said hed been offered a 1. 6 auto vit for £150, and so it began....

Not all of this build diary is in the order i did things!

weld-werx · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:24 pm Post subject:

the base car..

Ok, so she was a bit bashed up, needing a drivers door, and what appears to be a spot or two of welding. On closer inspection there was a lot of welding that needed to be done Sad

After cutting out much rust it was time to start putting fresh steel back in

It turned out that the rear inner and outer arches were shot, as was quite a lot of the floor, both sills, back end of the chassis, rear body mount, front chassis body mounts fuel tank mounts. you get the idea. heres some more pics...

Whilst at this stage a clean and repainted the rear axle and added a set of rover 600 rear springs, giving about 2.5" of lift. i primed and painted the underside with red oxide primer and stonchip. i filled, and primmered the back arches aswell...

[img:0b1a789c94]http://forum.difflock.com/userpix/8362_31052008_1.jpg[/img:0b1a789c94]

weld-werx · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:34 pm Post subject:

I now started on the bellhousing. After lots of measuring i cut out the engine end plate and the gear box end plate, Thanks for Suzota for suppllying the gear box to mock up with Wink

Both these plates are 0.5" thick. i cut them out with cutting discs on a grinder, and to cut the centers out i drilled aproximatley a zillion 3mm holes around a scribed line, and then broke through between each hole with a 4mm drill. that was a long day!

weld-werx · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:54 pm Post subject:

I then worked out the distance needed between the two plates to house the clutch assembly, which is a mixture of peugeot and suzuki parts, i made a jig and started to design the shape i would need to cut out of 6mm steel to form the sides of the bell housing. Its made in two halfs, a top and a bottom the top being based on a cone, the bottom is similar to producing a square-to-round, i used this method to work out the shape required. i then made them from cardboard and alluminium first to see if they were right before cutting them out of the steel.

i used an 80 ton promecam press to step fold the flat pieces into the shape required. once this was done i fettled the pieces into shape and a fit i was happy with before taking them into the workshop were i do a bit of part timing and TIG welded it all up.

[img:221700f1a6]http://forum.difflock.com/userpix/8362_bh12_3.jpg[/img:221700f1a6]

paj nut · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 7:55 pm Post subject:

brilliant mate just brill, wish i could do that! will be mint when done i can tell Cool

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 2:15 pm Post subject:

Thanks, yeah its been a lot of work.

Heres what the bell housing looked like when fitted to the engine and box about to be fitted.

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 2:25 pm Post subject:

With the engine clutch and box sorted ill move onto the bumpers. made from mostley 3mm steel, the mounting plates are 0.5" steel, i tried to keep them as compact as possible to allow for godd approach angles. once built i primmered and painted them.

front bumper

Rear bumper

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject:

And here it is painted...

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject:

Heres how i did the front suspension.

Front links, i used ford escort lower arm bushes in the ends, far cheaper than rose joints, and not quite so harsh on road, however not so flexi.

i got hold of a sammy axle from a guy how posts on here, " the mighty baggins " and heres a pic of the first time i mocked it up, getting an idea of measurements, clearances and if it would be possible to keep the origanal spring mounts on the vit chassis. at this stage i knew it would be very close, as the sammy axle is quite a bit narrower than the track of the vit. once i was happy it would work i cracked on with it!

i stripped and cleaned the axle of all the old brackets, i took my time to get it realy clean for welding. there is no point trying to weld over rust and paint.

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 2:55 pm Post subject:

Heres the bracket i put on the axle end...

I then, having worked out the center widths put brackets on bothe sides of the axle..

and capped the off for strength.

i could now attach the links id made, and the mounts which i would weld to chassis to see how it all lined up..

i could now make some spring platforms to go on the chassis, this next pic shows the first time the vit was sat with the axle holding the weight of the vehicle...

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:11 pm Post subject:

These next shots show how i mounted my shock absorbers, oh-er! ...

Next up for the suspension side of things was to make a panhard mount. id taken some measurements for the panhard,drop, and drag links, i made the panhard the same length as what the drop link had to be, so as long as i mounted them paralel, all should be good. as these links were quite long,i put the wheel at full lock position,and got the panhard mount as close to the inner face of the off side wheel as possible, this gave me a better chance of being able to make the length fit in too.

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:43 pm Post subject:

Heres the chassis end of the panhard mount, 6mm steel is used to make it.

The axle end was i little harder to make as it had to clear the drag link going between the steering arms, this is what i came up with, again its from 6mm steel...

Next pic shows all the links in place, at this stage i had fully stripped and rebuilt the front axle, with new bearings and seals throughout, and swapped the vit front ring and pinion into the sammy diff.i added a set of wheel spacers from bits4vits.

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 4:33 pm Post subject:

Engine fitting.

when i test fitted the engine i realised it would be quite snug against some of the bulkhead pressings, pass me my grinder!!

i also had to make the engine mounts...

and heres the engine in place..

Having now got the engine in place i found that the intercooler wouldnt fit as the intake manifold was in the wrong place and fouling the bulkhead bu miles. so i did a cut and shut job on it to allow the intercooler to com forward...

when i came to fit water hoses i found that the top hose would be quite long, so i made this up, it also holds the fan switch for the puegeot electric fan ive put on the ford transit radiator that im using.

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 4:49 pm Post subject:

With the engine in and cooling sorted i needed a fuel tank, the suzuki one had rusted away. i found this tucked away in my mums garage, i started making it a few years ago for a different zook, i tried it in the hole and it fitted almopst perfectley!! you gotta get lucky somtimes!

i added the outlets, filler tube,breather, and the sender mount. i made some mounts for it to attach to the chassis...

.

next up was making a cross member to go between the chassis rails, i wanted this a compact as possible, so it didnt interfear with the suspension links, this is what i did, its made from 40 x 80 x 3mm steel box, the angle of it follows the line of the sump,so it fits quite high up and out of the way.

notice also the Bits4Vits prop spacer, theres one on the rear prop too.

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:02 pm Post subject:

With the bulk of work done, i had a few small jobs to do one of which was to make a bonnet scoop to clear the intercooler,i didnt fancy a halfords boy racer fibreglass jobbie so i did this. cut a "u" in the bonnet, and folded it by hand upwards, this would be the top of the scoop. i then got some 8mm steel tube,and ben the ends down at about 40degrees,and tacked these ends to the bonnet, and the front edge of the top of the scoop onto the between the angled ends. i the got some 1.2mm steel sheet and folded a radiused edge onto it, trimmed it to suit and tacked these on to the sides. put on a few more weld tacks for strength,gave it a grind up and a smear of filler, but of a rub down with some sand paper and jobs a good un...

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:06 pm Post subject:

So its realy close to MOT time now, the day before, giving everthing a last check over... i find that my front brake lines are flapping around, the clips are missing, get on the phone to suzuki, parts department are shut,D'oh!
il have to make me own ...

316 stainless steel, these babys wont rust!

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject:

so its MOT day, first time i went i ran out of fuel (sort of Embarassed

) and missed my appointment, better luck this time though, heres the jeep outside the MOT place...

and here it is the next day, moted taxed and insured on a local green lane, steam is from the wet exhuast not the radiator by-the-way!!

well thats it, from start to road legal, 8 monthes work, would i do it agian? i say no, but probabley will do somthing in the future!

worst point? probably realising id managed to cross thread the nut that goes on the diff pinion. out with the needle files!

best point ? hearing that turbo spin up and whistle as i pulled away from the mot station!

watch this space for ... snorkel, roll cage and a few other ideas!

big_patrol · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:16 pm Post subject:

mate that wants going in a gallery you are better at making these than suzuki.

well done for the neatest build i have ever seen, can i hire you out to build all future vehicles lol

40.volks · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:24 pm Post subject:

Can I just say,That is some of the best fab work I have ever had the pleasure of looking at. Cool

Mega cool bud,hats off to you.

That mot station,not Tracts by any chance?

Would love to see your Vit in the flesh.

Pete

weld-werx · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 9:25 pm Post subject:

thanks guys, glad you think so, and yes that is tracts mot station.

jon.g1 · Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 10:37 am Post subject:

thats an amazing build mate, looks really nice Very Happy

.
still can't gety over how neat all your welding is.

Jon

callagas · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 5:48 pm Post subject:

10/10 for that. I only know a handfull of welders that can weld that neat. Amazing what can be acheived when you clean the steel up, use the rite wire and set up the welder properly! You can use a folder properly aswell!

Diesel Destroyer · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 6:03 pm Post subject:

Im seriously seriously impressed!!

You should be proud!

Allan

d86 · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 9:05 pm Post subject:

i got to move this back up for those of you that missed it.

tony Very Happy

kingmarty · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:03 am Post subject:

Tryly awsome work there.. Id love to half of your talent with the steel!

G187EEV · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 3:16 pm Post subject:

Very VERY nice work! Cool

Very impressed with the way you fabricated the bell housing... you've done lovely job....

Rob

Nobby · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 5:19 pm Post subject:

you deserve medals that is one very nice build and fab work to go with it

11/10 in my book i just wish i could do the same

jetskidavid · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:38 am Post subject:

loved all the pictures and very nice work wish i had the fab skills you do!!! Very Happy

rockwatt · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 11:28 am Post subject:

very neat i take it your a welder by trade.
There's not many people out there that can melt 2 bits of alloy together like that, most people take one look at all the knobs on a hf ac/dc tig and they (cant repeat on here Smile

) run a mile.
Well done.
Now you have some daily transport put them skills to work on a ground up project cos iv got a feeling you can do much more if you get into machining as well Smile

weld-werx · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 8:41 pm Post subject:

Hi all, and thanks for the comments, its funny how theres been a bit of interest in big unit again!

sadly she is long gone,but after building it i didnt realy feel inspired to drive it. i have had an idea of a ground up one off build, which im looking into the practicality and cost of making road legal.

And yes Rockwatt, i was a welder for about 11 years, used to build space frame race cars, but only do it as a hobby these days.

cheers!